If you're going to Philadelphia for the first time to take in the history and soak up the culture, let me suggest that you don't do so if your three traveling companions are all vegetarians.

That's what happened to me on my one and only sojourn to the City of Brotherly Love. Because, yes, we saw the Liberty Bell and the house where Edgar Allen Poe wrote the lighthearted "The Black Cat" and Independence Hall.

What we didn't experience on our trip, though, was the magical, tripartite intersection of South 9th Street, Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue. This is where Pat's King of Steaks is directly across the street from Geno's Steaks - acknowledged as the two finest purveyors of cheesesteak sandwiches in the solar system.

Y'see, neither Pat nor Geno spends much time cooking kale or, oh, tempeh, so my Philadelphia experience didn't include cheesesteak.

All, however, is not lost. Up in Norwich, hard to Backus Hospital - which is intriguing from a cholesterol standpoint - is Philly's Cheesesteaks & More. Owned and overseen by actual humans from Philadelphia, the small restaurant is brightly painted in white, red and blue, recalling not just Betsy Ross-ness but also iconic uniforms from both the Phillies and 76ers.

The staff is incredibly friendly, the food is quite wonderful and, I assume, reasonably authentic in the great context of All Things Cheesesteak. As I understand it, the recipe for this magnificent sandwich is fairly simple: shaved ribeye steak, Cheez Whiz or provolone, sauteed onions and a hoagie roll. Right?

Needless to say, this template has evolved over the years - including at Pat's and at Geno's, and the folks at Philly's offer several variations on the cheesesteak theme involving fried onions, chicken, pepperoni, pickles, hot and sweet peppers, mushrooms, even mayo and ketchup. There's also a selection of "South Philly Hoagies," "Signature Fries" wings, and an array of nachos.

But, as a counterman said on my first visit to Philly's when I innocently mentioned I might try a hoagie, "Why would you wanna do that?" I must have looked a bit surprised because he added, "Hey, the hoagies are good, but this IS a cheesesteak place."

Fair enough!

Even a moron like myself knew to start with the basics - The Philly ($7.50), comprising steak, fried onions and Cheez Whiz. It's worth noting that the rolls are transported thrice-weekly from Philadelphia, and it makes a difference. The bread is soft, chewy and fresh - and sufficiently resilient to absorb the weighty offering heaped thereupon.

The steak itself is shaved to an almost transparent thinness - far removed from the stroganoff-style hunks you might find in local cheesesteak. The amazing steak flavor, then, takes on a sort of velvety quality enhanced by the gooey Whiz and playfully counterpunched by the crunchy onions. Tremendous.

The Barkley ($9.50 -and yes, the sandwiches are named according to nicknames of Philly sports legends) expands those basic ingredients by adding shaved chicken, mayo and ketchup. I threw a Cliff Lee-esque curveball and asked for just chicken, and it worked in big fashion.

On the side, a huge order of Buffalo chicken fries ($7.50), with hunks of mellow chicken breast atop thick-cut fries and massaged with sharp blue cheese dressing, was tasty but more than any human could hope to eat. I did anyway.

Yes, I went back and tried an Italian hoagie ($7.50) because, here in the Land of the Italian Grinder, ya just never know. Philly and Company did a nice job with a nice helping of Capicola, ham and Genoa - and a tart melange of sweet and hot peppers.

Oh: it's probably rarely said about a sandwich shop, but definitely save room for dessert. Phried Philly Bread ($3.50, $4.50 a la mode) is incredible. They take the hoagie bread, season with brown sugar and cinnamon and fry it in French toast fashion.

You can also crown it with a scoop of vanilla and hot homemade butterscotch sauce - and why wouldn't you? OMG.

Philly's Cheesesteaks & More

33 & 35 Sherman St., Norwich

(860) 886-9449

Cuisine: Native Philadelphians bring authentic-style cheesesteaks to area, along with wings, hoagies, nachos and designer fries.

Atmosphere: Casual, sports-centric design. You feel like you're eating in a (warm) hockey rink festooned with Phillies and Sixers color schemes instead of the Flyers.

Service: Extremely friendly. Employees wear "Phamily" shirts - and the sentiment extends to customers. You order at the counter and take your seat; happy servers bring your food

Prices: Cheesesteaks and hoagies $6.50-$10.50, signature fries $7.50-$10.50, $6.50-$10.50, dessert $3.50-$4.50

Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-6 p.m. Sun.

Credit cards: All majors

Handicap access: Street parking can be crowded; once you're inside, it's very roomy

Reservations: N/A